2 returning imports, 8 newcomers highlight 2014 Commissioner’s Cup

* Josh Boone (San Miguel Beer)
* Evan Brock (GlobalPort)
* Hervé Lamizana (Air 21)
* Brian Butch (Meralco)
* Joshua Dollard (Barako Bull)
* Rob Dozier (Alaska Aces)
* Richard Howell (Talk ‘N Text)
* Alex McLean (Rain or Shine Elastopainters)
* James Mays (San Mig Coffee Mixers)
* Leon Rodgers (Ginebra Kings)

Talk ‘N Text import Richard Howell, who will be making his PBA debut Wednesday night against Alaska, says he can help his team in a variety of ways. Howell made a name for himself in the US NCAA while playing for NC State. AP

MANILA, Philippines – As Alaska starts its PBA Commissioner’s Cup title defense with returning Best Import Rob Dozier, nine other teams are primed to make it tough for the Aces to repeat with their own respective reinforcements.

Apart from Dozier, Evan Brock will also make a second tour of duty but this time with a new team in Globalport.

Dozier led Alaska to a championship sweep of Barangay Ginebra last year while Brock played for Barako Bull in his first PBA stint.

“This year you’ll be able to see more of my game than what you saw last year. Last year, the system was different,” said Brock.

The Kings, coming off a heartbreaking Philippine Cup stint where they lost to eventual champion San Mig Coffee in Game 7 of the semifinals, hope their veteran import Leon Rodgers will finally get them over the hump.

“I hope that I am,” said the 33-year-old Rodgers, a lights out scorer and a tough cover for the other imports with his range, on whether he’s the missing piece to the Kings title run.

“I think my role to this team is kind of be like the balance. Whatever this team needs I think that’s what I need to provide,” he said. Rodgers had been practically all over the world playing basketball with stints in France, Germany, Dominican Republic and China to name a few.

The Mixers on the other hand, went for James Mays, who unlike Rodgers, is an inside operator.

San Mig Coffee is coming off a back-to-back title romp with its last championship just a little over a week ago at the expense of Rain or Shine, but Mays said playing for a defending champion doesn’t add more weight on his shoulders.

“I don’t think it brings pressure at all. Hopefully we could compete for a third one,” said Mays, whom lead assistant coach Jeffrey Cariaso referred to as a “good triangle big guy” and is a fit for the team’s system.

After losing another shot at the Philippine Cup crown, the Elasto Painters looks to get a boost from Alex McLean, a mobile six-foot-eight big man who has a decent outside shot.

San Miguel Beer, which is also raring to rebound from a failed PH Cup outing, tabbed former NBA veteran Josh Boone.

Boone played four seasons in the NBA all with then New Jersey Nets from 2006-10 and has a career average of 5.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

“We feel like he’s the right guy that would fit in along with June Mar (Fajardo) and Arwind (Santos). They can complement each other,” said new San Miguel head coach Biboy Ravanes of his 29-year-old big man.

“He’s not a go-to-guy. He just wants to work hard. He’s like a role player, he gets all those rebounds, play D, can defend. We don’t need a shooter because we already have a lot so I think he’s a perfect fit for us.”

Talk ‘N Text meanwhile, tapped former North Carolina State standout Richard Howell.

Howell averaged 12.7 points and 10.9 rebounds in his senior year with NC State and was named to the All-ACC First Team in 2013.

“He’s an inside presence, a good defender and good rebounder,” said TNT head coach Norman Black of Howell, who was signed but later waived by the Portland Trailblazers last September after going undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft.

“Whatever coach Black wants me to do I can do it. I told coach Black you’d never find me on a night where I don’t play as hard as I could,” said the six-foot-eight Howell, who will be one of the first imports to strut his stuff when he makes his PBA debut against Alaska Wednesday night.

Barako Bull also got a versatile import in Joshua Dollard, whom head coach Bong Ramos thinks “can do many things” for the team.

Meralco and Air21, both teams who missed the playoffs last conference, eye to get back in contention with Brian Butch and Hervé Lamizana, respectively.

Butch stands at six-foot-11 and is an NBA D-League standout while Lamizana, a lanky six-foot-10, previously played in China.